Tirupati: As part of strengthening education and student well-being, Tirupati District Collector Dr S Venkateswar on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Art of Living Foundation. The agreement, finalised in the presence of the Social Welfare Minister Dr Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy during a regional conference, will extend the organisation’s training programmes to students and teachers in social welfare institutions.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Venkateswar said that in the first phase, 11,000 students and 250 teachers from social welfare schools will undergo specialised training. The Art of Living modules will focus on stress management, concentration techniques, emotional resilience, and physical and mental well-being.

“These programmes are designed to equip children with essential life skills so they can overcome future challenges with confidence,” he noted.

The Collector also highlighted the broader transformation taking place in the district’s social welfare hostels.

Over the past eight months, works worth Rs 22 crore have been launched through coordinated use of District Mineral Fund (DMF), CSR funds, and departmental allocations.

Plans are underway to establish model hostels in every constituency, equipped with modern facilities including libraries, STEM laboratories, solar rooftop systems, rainwater harvesting, kitchen gardens, and medicinal plantations.

He felt that these measures, coupled with the Art of Living partnership, would significantly improve educational standards, living conditions, and health outcomes for students in Tirupati district.

During the event, Dr Venkateswar felicitated Art of Living representatives Kumar Nair, Rohan, and Praveen Kumar. Social Welfare Department Principal Secretary MM Nayak, Director B Lavanya Veni, and other senior officials also participated in the programme.